Reading Room Document

Form of Consultation Required for Presidential Decisions Under the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978

This document discusses the consultation process required by Title V of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 for the President to decide on proposed means of transporting oil from the West Coast. The conclusion reached in the document is that the President has the discretion to choose the form of consultation he considers appropriate, as nothing in the statute or its legislative history suggests a specific form of consultation. The document presents questions about the form of consultation required by the statute and discusses how other statutes requiring consultation do not control the interpretation of the provisions in Title V.

November 8, 1979